Modern buildings typically include a plurality of controllers, located throughout the building, for providing de-centralized control of building subsystems, such as heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Such controllers typically are connected, via an electrical circuit external to the controller, to control panels and/or computers located remotely from the controller which supply electrical power and control signals to the controller, which, in turn, redirects the power and control signals to the equipment connected to the controller.
Such controllers typically include active and passive electrical and/or electronic components for performing localized signal conditioning and control functions.
Such controllers are susceptible to being damaged during construction of the building, and/or installation of the control system into a building. It is desirable, therefore, to provide an apparatus and method for progressively installing the controller, during initial rough-in of the building and sequential finishing operations, to limit exposure of the controller, and associated interconnection equipment, to potential damage during construction. It is further desirable, that such an improved method and apparatus provide a compact overall package of the controller, and its related interconnecting elements, which is preferably relatively flat and accessible from one side of a wall upon which the controller is mounted, and in a form which minimizes the projection of the controller and its related interconnecting devices away from the wall.
Prior apparatuses and methods for mounting controllers in buildings through utilization of traditional methods, such as plugging circuit cards into connectors extending axially from a back plane, are not entirely satisfactory in meeting the desires laid out above.